Shelters Scramble for Resources Amid Heat

TULSA, Okla. (AP) — As Oklahoma heads into the cruel summer months, area shelters and pantries are scrambling to keep pace with the demand for services.

Workers are making sure plenty of water and food are stocked on shelves and are finding additional bed space for the thousands of homeless men and women they anticipate will seek shelter from the sweltering heat.

For many, the heat is an unwelcome repeat of last year's record-busting summer in Oklahoma, when supplies began running low and panic set in as those in need kept coming at a steady clip.

In addition to the climate, the economic downturn that has gripped much of the country has also spread across much of Oklahoma, causing an influx of the newly homeless because of job loss or inability to find work.